Collaborative Mental Health and Primary Care Improve Outcomes in Patients with Opioid and Alcohol Use Disorders

Effective treatment approaches exist for both opioid and alcohol use disorders, but access to treatment programs is limited. In a study conducted in two federally qualified healthcare centers in Los Angeles, researchers assessed collaborative mental health care provided in a primary care setting.

About 400 patients (mean age, 42; 80% men) who screened positive for risky opioid or alcohol use during routine primary care were randomized to collaborative care or usual care. Patients with substantial psychiatric comorbidity and those currently abstinent or receiving treatment were excluded. Collaborative-care patients were assigned a coordinator who arranged brief psychotherapy and medication-assisted treatment (i.e., combination buprenorphine a…